The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-30
BLAINE IN ILLINOIS.
His Charlish Treatment of Logan, and WI
the Maine Man Lost Popularity.


the Maine Man Lost Popularity.
Interview with Beach Taylor ofrmery Private Sec
rotary to General Logan.
The friends of General Logan in the West,
and especially in Illinois, not at all satisfied
with the way the General was treated durin g
that campaign [l6S6 In fact the feeling is SO
strong against Mr.. Blaine that do not believe
he can get majority of tho delegates from
next TO favor his denomination, and If he
should get them doubt very much whether he
could carry Illinois the popular vote. Gen.
Logans friends complain that from the first day
of the last residential nomination at Chicago
down to the close OF the campaign the General
was practically ignored by the head of the
ticket; that he carefully avoided any interview
or consultation with General Logan in refer
ence to the conduct of the campaign; that he
declined and virtually spurned any assistance
from him, and acted as though he did not wish
to have it thought that the success which he
confidently anticipated for the ticket was in any
maner due to the exertions of General Logan.
''All this time General Logan, who far as
his private wishes were concerned, would have
preferred not to be on the ticket Vice -presi-
dent and to retain his old seat as Senator, was
working hard for the success of the party and
ready to go anywhere to make speeches or do
anythng that would conduce to that end. In the
latter part of the campaign MIR. Medill. of the
Chicago Tribune. who employed several CORE
spondents in New York to post him on the con-
dition and prospects of the canvass learned that
there were grave doubts whether New York
could be carried for the ticket. After consulta-
tion with General Logan ne wrote letter to
the national committee in New York, suggest
ing that the General might be able to render
some service to the party there. especially with
the soldier element. and saying that the General
would cheerfuly go there and stump the State
if it was deemed advisable by. the committee.
The offer was declined, at least it was not
accepted, and, as General Logan's friends be-
lieve. at the instigatlon of Mr. Blaine.
when Blaine made his Western tour great
preparations were made to receive him at Spring
field ILL., and an immense throng of Republican,
had gathered there to see him and hear him
speak. committee had been sent to Indian
opoS to escort him to the capital of Illinois, and
he expected to arrive there by noon of the
day of the meeting. But the committee who
were sent to Indiana found Mr.. Blaine sleepy,
so disinclined to make the journey to Spring
field that they could not get him started in time
to reach there until early evening. Meantime
the great crowd was kept waiting, and when Mr..
Blaine reached the stand he made a very brief
speech and, without waiting for the reception
ahat WAS to have been given to him after the
meeting was over, without granting inter
view to General Logan to talk over the political
situation, making the acquaintance of
scarcely anybody in Springfield, he quietly
slipped sway from the speakers stand
and hurried to the station and
shut himself up in sleeping to wait for the
train to start for Chicago At Chicago he played
q similar trick. Preparations were made to
give him grand dinner after the political meet
ing was over. at which Governor Oglesby and
General Logan We're to be present. But when
the time arrived FOR the Plumed Knight to show
himself he turned up missing, and committee
sent in search of him, discovered him snuglv
esconced in a sleeping car of train bound for
Milwaukee.
I'm these instances. and some others. that
Cured during the campaign, General Logan's
friends were forced to the conviction that Mr..
Blaines curious conduct spraug from desire to
avoid an interview with the General. This
vietion was strengthened both in the mind of
General Logan and of his friends who knew the
facts by some other occurrences and incidents
of the campaign which / do not feel at liberty
to state at present. Now any one who knew
General Logan, his unselhshness, his gener-
osty, his macnanimity, and his ardent
desire to serve the Republican party, and pro-
mote its at whatever sacrifice to himself,
cannot but feel aggrieved. if not indignant,
the treatment he received from Mr.. Blaine dur
ing that campaign. In looking for the motive
for his extraordinary conduct they are unable to
find it anywhere but in his extreme selishness,
his desire monopoze for himself all the
credit and honor of the anticipated victory OF
the Republican party, and his mean apprehen-
sion lest share of the honor might be
awarded by the public to the services of General
Logan.
IF their belief with regard to Mr.. Blaine's
motives is we'll founded. it is easy to how he
has lost popularity in Illinois. The Western
people do not like that kind of character"